[At 9, Melissa] started sketching models and fashion icons from magazines, including Karl Lagerfeld. She put the Karl sketch on a t-shirt, followed by sketches of Anna Wintour, John Galliano and Donatella Versace. She turned it into a t-shirt line called Tees By Missy X. The 12-year-old’s growing t-shirt company, which currently operates on “commission-only basis,” was recently profiled by Vogue UK.

Moziah, who simply goes by the nickname Mo, has been sewing bow ties since his grandmother bought him a sering machine at age 9. Now at 11, he is the founder of Mo’s Bows, and sells his ties online at select boutiques in Tennessee, Texas and South Carolina.

Amazing.

Thoughts on these little people doing big things?

How can we encourage our youth to pursue creative and fruitful endeavors?

The Black Youth Project is a platform that highlights the voices and ideas of Black millennials. Through knowledge, voice, and action, we work to empower and uplift the lived experiences of young Black Americans today.

About The Black Youth Project

The Black Youth Project examines the attitudes, resources and culture of the young black millennials.

We have three core areas of focus: knowledge, voice, and action. Knowledge is the research we perform on Black millennials ages 18-35. Voice is the high-quality news and opinions written by Black millennials on this platform. Action is the work done through our sister organization BYP100.